Canyon Ultimate CF Evo Disc
Canyon’s latest disc-equipped bike with feather-light frame, fork and finishing kit
Canyon has released its lightest ever disc-equipped bike, the Ultimate CF EVO Disc. Weighing 6.04kg (for our medium size), the EVO’s build is exotic and expensive without pushing too far into the realms of show-bike, weight-weenie insanity. It’s a machine that you could conceivably ride day to day and, while it’s expensive at £9099, it’s some way off being Canyon’s highestpriced bike (that prize goes to its £11,799 Ultimate CF EVO 10.0 LTD).
This latest EVO is arguably more significant. Despite its low weight, its build consists entirely of standard, off-theshelf components and it has 25mm clincher tyres, 12 whole speeds and proper disc brakes.
The frame is key to the weight savings. Canyon claims that the EVO’s layup is the most advanced it’s ever used, with a combination of ultra-high modulus (UHM) and ultra-high tension (UHT) fibres making up a material that's 10 per cent lighter per metre squared than that of the rim-brake EVO.
Canyon apparently saved a whole 7g by integrating the front derailleur mount and a further 3.5g (yes, really) by using titanium hardware in place of steel. The graphics are ultra-minimalist and claimed frame weight for a medium is a mere 641g, excluding hardware – a full 144g lighter than the everyman Ultimate CF SLX Disc.
Up front, the fork uses a lightened steerer to shave 40g off the standard item, coming in at a claimed 285g — a respectable figure given that it still needs to withstand the rigours of disc braking. Meanwhile, the cockpit is a one-piece carbon affair, which Canyon says is its lightest yet at 270g, 50g less than that of the SLX.
The build itself is remarkably ordinary, with no weird custom parts or silly compromises. Shifting and braking is all standard SRAM Red eTap AXS HRD and even the gearing is sensible, with a 35/28t bottom end.
Rather than fitting super-skinny tubulars to hit the weight target, Canyon has opted for relatively sensible DT Swiss carbon clinchers, which come in at a claimed 1283g for the set, fitted with 25mm rubber. Granted, the tyres are TT specials, but they still have a Vectran layer for puncture resistance, so they're not a showonly choice.
The Selle Italia saddle and Schmolke seatpost are both super-light specials, weighing a claimed 61g and 120g respectively.